Gambling regulators across the world are constantly grappling with regulation, and how best to structure their domestic gambling laws. From any government’s point of view, it’s essential to regulate gambling to ensure a fair, legitimate playing field for customers, while providing the legal infrastructure to tax gambling operators for doing business in their market.

Sweden is no different, and back in April 2018, the government adopted a bill entitled ‘A re-regulated gambling market’ in to law – a bill resulting in a new gambling act, and a fresh licensing regime for Swedish casinos.

Commenting on the proposals at the time, Minister for Public Administration Ardalan Shekarabi said the law would bring unregulated gambling in Sweden to an end, allowing the government to regain its grip over the gambling sector.

Unregulated gambling has taken over and gambling is used in criminal activities. It is 14 years since the first of a line of gambling inquiries was appointed. It is now time for us to move from words to action and regain control of the Swedish gambling market.

We are reinforcing the Swedish Gambling Authority, granting it more and sharper tools. Unlicensed operators will be shut out of the market and license-holders must conduct their activities in accordance with the law.

— https://www.government.se/press-releases/2018/04/re-regulation-of-the-gambling-market–licence-system-to-be-introduced/

With applications for new licences accepted from August 2018, the wheels of these new gambling regulations are already in motion ahead of the new law coming into force in 2019.

But what does the act mean for operators and players, and which, if any, casinos have started the process of obtaining a licence under the new law so far?

New Regulation for Sweden’s Gambling Sector

The new regulations create a totally different environment for Sweden’s gambling operators. Those that are not licenced in Sweden will now be required to close their doors to Swedish gamblers, with only licenced operators permitted to accept bets from Swedish players.

The new measures are expected to come into force at the beginning of January 2019, from which date, any operators must pay a licence fee of $83,260 for a combined licence to operate online casino and sports betting services.

The law gives the Swedish Gambling Authority the power to instruct ISPs to block payments to unlicensed operators, as well as displaying warning messages to users attempting to access their sites. The act of offering gambling without a licence is due to become a criminal offence.

The new regulations also introduce swathes of protections for Swedish players, including a right to self-exclusion, along with a ban on operators offering bonuses and promotions (except for first deposit bonuses).

As well as further restrictions on gambling advertising, operators will also now be obliged to protect players from ‘excessive wagering’, with the regulator authorised to fine or revoke license for those in breach of their licencing conditions.

Why Is Regulation Necessary?

Previously, it was effectively illegal for anyone to operate gambling services in Sweden – unless they were a not-for-profit organisation or a state-owned company.

However, in reality, the Swedish market was still being served by online casino and sports betting operators.

This created the competitive dynamic within the Swedish market, flouting the laws in place at the time. And with a comparatively weak regulator and no official licencing system of its own for commercial operators, the Swedish government found itself consistently cut out the loop.

This would be cause for concern for any government, primarily in respect of lost tax revenue. Every bet is an opportunity for the government to take a share, and with unregulated operators running amok, the Swedish government has felt compelled to act.

Of course, the new legislation also makes extensive provision for protecting gamblers, including those vulnerable to problem gambling, through a raft of tight new measures.

The new law will see Sweden’s gambling market brought within government control for the first time since online casinos became popular. With some incumbents potentially facing ejection from the market if they don’t comply with the new rules, the change in law is sure to shake up the gambling scene in Sweden for both operators and customers.

Which Casinos Already Have A Licence?

On the first day of launch for the new licencing procedure, the Swedish government received applications from no fewer than 22 operators. The likes of Betsson and Svenska Spel were perhaps predictably amongst them, alongside the likes of Rizk Casino, Bwin, Cherry and Expekt.

There has been no confirmation of licences successfully granted to date, though it is expected that the majority of these applications will be approved.

Intriguingly, not every operator was represented, with Leo Vegas, Mr Green and Unibet absent from the lineup. By the time re-regulation kicks in in January, analysts expect as many as 70 different operators to have applied for a new-style gambling licence.

Betsson’s chief executive Pontus Lindwall said his company welcomed the new licencing regime, and look forward to obtaining their licence in due course.

Sweden is our home turf…We’re a Swedish top company within the industry, and we’ve been in this market for a very long time. I think it’s great that it opens up for regulation and for license applications.

We’ve been operating on this market for a long time and now we will get better possibilities for marketing, sponsorships, and PR that’s good. But in most of our operations I think we will be operating as before but under the new regulation.

— https://www.betssonab.com/en/news/betsson-applies-swedish-gaming-license

It remains to be seen whether more casinos, as expected will follow suit.

What This Means for Swedish Gamblers

From January 2019, it’s recommended that you only play with Swedish-licenced casinos. This will ensure you are dealing with operators officially permitted to accept your bets, and subject to the watchful eye of the newly empowered Swedish Gambling Authority.

Continuing to play with international casinos risks your payments being blocked, and could void any rights and protections for you as a player under the new gambling act. Fortunately, with so many casinos already in the process of applying for licences, it looks like you won’t be short on choice when the new law does eventually begins to take effect.

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The first Marvel slots, Iron Man and Incredible Hulk, appeared at online Playtech casinos in 2009. They became an instant hit and the company launched 13 more. Here are the games that made casino players excited and thrilled for nine years: Avengers, Blade, Daredevil, Elektra, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, Punisher War Zone Captain America, Wolverin, Thor – the Mighly Avenger, and X-men.

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“Why did this happen?” you can ask. How can the gaming content provider withdraw the games which are extremely popular? Let’s go back to history to get to know the reason to this troublesome event.

Why Did They Remove These Slots?

In March 2009 Playtech signed the licensing agreement with Marvel Entertainment Inc. to use Marvel comics to create slots games. That time Mor Weizer, Chief Executive Officer of Playtech, commented that deal: “This agreement is a major stepping stone for Playtech, as it will greatly extend the commercial appeal and cross-selling opportunities of our products. Branded slots are a good way of diversifying our product and attracting new players.” He proved to be right; Marvel slots became very popular and attracted more and more new players.

However, few months later, in August 2009, the Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment. It was a turning point in the Marvel slots history. Disney has created their family-friended image and tries their best to keep it. They say: “…our guiding philosophy has been to act as a compassionate and generous company that leverages our resources to bring happiness, hope, and laughter to the lives of children and families in need and promote a culture of giving. Disney also uses our media platforms to inspire others to make a difference.” So they don’t want to have something in common with the gambling industry.

Thus, in 2011, Florida wanted to expand the number of gambling operations in the state. Disney was vehemently critical of the building of casinos anywhere near its world-known theme park, Disney World. In 2014 Disney announced that they would terminate their agreement deal with another gaming software providing company, Cryptologic.

The deal with Playtech expired out late March, 2017 and nobody was going to renew it. The same situation happens with some Microgaming brands – the Lord of the Rings slot and the Dark Knight which were pulled from online casinos some time ago

What Is Playtech Going To Do?

As we know nature abhors a vacuum and Playtech is to fill this gap. In February, 2017 the company signed3 an agreement with Warner Bros. to develop a series of Omni-channel DC-branded slot, bingo and roulette games, available across multiple channels and devices. These games will be linked to the DC Super Heroes Progressive Jackpot.

Moreover, Playtech is going to reuse some of the game engines connected with the Marvel slots. They plan to re-brand the games to the Age of the Gods slots series. Thus, Prince of Olympus is built upon The Incredible Hulk, King of Olympus uses Iron Man 2, Furious 4 has something to do with The Fantastic Four and Age of the Gods is based on the Avengers.

We are sorry Marvel slots disappeared from Playtech casinos, but hope we’ll soon see and play some more interesting and exciting new games.

1. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/disney-to-acquire-marvel-entertainment-for-4b-2009-08-31
2. https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about/
3. https://www.playtech.com/news/latest_news_and_prs/playtech_and_warner_bros_consumer_products_team_up_for_exclusive_dc-branded_film_and_tv_content_deal

Story of Marvel comics slot machines

Slots machine based on Marvel comics first appeared in online casinos almost five years ago. Just Cryptologic was the first online gaming software provider to get the exclusive rights to produce the games. These slots got enthusiastic response immediately and became very popular with players. The reason to that was the great popularity of comics among Americans who were the main customers on the online gaming market. Marvel is the major publisher of comics. Just Marvel comics gave the world such characters as Hulk, Iron Man, Spider Man, X-Men and many, many others. It is not worth forgetting the fact that the world’s best film studios constantly shoot high budget movies about these superheroes. That’s why the success of Marvel slots was predetermined

So, what is the difference between Marvel slots and usual casino slots? First of all, you will see your favourite characters as symbols on the reels. The plot of every slot is built around the adventures of famous characters widely known to many comics fans. The developers do their best to make these machines unforgettable. Marvel casino slots have state-of-the-art graphics, true-to-life sound effects and perfect animation. During bonus games the characters become alive and you can see them moving, shooting, fighting, flying, etc. So, you watch a real action movie.

Today one more company has a license to produce Marvel slot machines. This is one of the leading software developers, PlayTech. Marvel multi-level mystery progressive slots are one of the recent additions to the family of PlayTech machines. Besides colourful bonus games, another evident advantage of Marvel slots is the progressive jackpot. In fact, these slots have 4 linked Progressive jackpots which can be won during the randomly triggered bonus game. The Bonus Game is played on a 4×5 grid which has 20 squares. There are different jackpot icons under each square. To win any of the jackpots the player has to find 3 identical jackpot symbols. However, there is time limit and if the player is late the jackpot will be paid automatically.

The progressive jackpots are Power, Extra Power, Super Power, and Ultimate Power Progressive Jackpots. The Power Jackpot is won every hour and reaches $374 on average. An average Extra Power jackpot is $4,200 and hit every 4 hours. A Super Power is $40,500 won every 2 days and an average Ultimate Power Progressive Jackpot reaches $910,000 and is hit twice a year. The biggest Marvel progressive ever won at PlayTech casinos was $1,365,716.

At the point PlayTech online casinos offer nine Marvel slots – Blade, Daredevil, Elektra, Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Punisher War Zone, X-Men.

Cryptologic Marvel slots

Offer random Marvel Progressive Jackpots as well. There are 3 Marvel Jackpots – Marvel Hero Jackpot, Super Hero Jackpot and Hero Jackpot. You don’t need to hit any special combination to win any of these progressives. The size of the wager determines the chance of winning a jackpot. A jackpot can be triggered randomly at the conclusion of any spin. Marvel Hero Jackpot starts at $5,000; Super Hero Jackpot – at $500 and Hero Jackpot starts at $50.

Marvel slots available at Cryptologic online casinos are Blade, Daredevil, Captain America, Elektra, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Man Revelations, Wolverine, the Incredible Hulk, Hulk-Ultimate Revenge, Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, The Punisher, Thor and X-Men.

Marvel US and UK Mobile Casino Slots

Marvel comics slots machine first appeared at casinos online more than ten years ago. With the top-notch graphics, true-to-life sound effects and fantastic animation these slots attract more and more people. Everyone likes to watch their favourite characters spinning on the reels and coming to life during bonus games. The plot of each slot is based on adventures of famous characters known to many comics fans.

Marvel Slot Online Mobile Phone

Cryptologic was the first of online gaming software suppliers that received the exclusive rights to make slot machines based on Marvel comics in 2005. The Marvel slots you can play at Cryptologic online casinos are Blade, Elektra, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Hulk-Ultimate Revenge, Iron Man, Silver Surfer, Spider-Man, Sub-Mariner, Spider-Man Revelations, Wolverine, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Punisher, and X-men.

Today more companies have license to produce Marvel games. One of them is the top software provider, Playtech. PlayTech online casinos offer a good number of Marvel slots. They are Blade, Fantastic Four, Captain America, Ghost Rider, Daredevil, Iron Man slot, Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, ELektra, Punisher War Zone, the Incredible Hulk, the Avengers machine, Wolverin, Thor – the Mighly Avenger, and X-men.

Playtech Marvel jackpot consists of four jackpots: Power, Extra Power Jackpot, Super Power Jackpot, and Ultimate Power one. The Power Jackpot is won almost every hour and is $374 on average. An average Extra Power jackpot is $2,600 and hits every 2 hours. A Super Power is $35,200 won once a day and an average Ultimate Power Jackpot can reach $711,000 and is hit every two months.

There are 3 tiered jackpots in Cryptologic Marvel jackpot which is triggered randomly. It means there is no special combination to win any of these progressives. The size of your bet determines the chance of winning a jackpot. Marvel Hero Jackpot begins at $5000; Super Hero– at $500 and Hero one begins at $50.

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In 2015, a ‘Review of Illegal Offshore Wagering’ appeared and recommended lawmakers to adjust more strict regulations for the online gambling industry. The industry was governed by the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act which was passed in 2001 by the Australian Government in order to protect the Australians from the detrimental effects of online gambling. It banned online poker, roulette and blackjack but had some loopholes that online casino operators were exploiting.

IGA Bill 2016 Unveiled In November

As a result, in November 2016 lawmakers introduced the Interactive Gambling Amendment Bill 2016 aimed to close the loopholes found in the Interactive Gambling Act. They introduced new legislation that requires online gambling operators active in the country to acquire local licenses or face heavy fines. According to this legislation, operators who take bets from Australian players without a local license will be deemed to have broken the law. Individuals face fines of up to AU$1.35 million per day, and companies will be charged AU$6.75 million.

Australian Senate passed the IGA Bill 2016 in March

On 21 March, the Australian parliament approved that amendment bill. And now online casino gambling, live sports betting and online poker are considered illegal in Australia.

The bill amends the: Interactive Gambling Act 2001 to: clarify the services to which the Act applies by recognising prohibited interactive gambling services and regulated interactive gambling services; prohibit a person providing regulated interactive gambling services to Australians unless the person holds a licence under the law of an Australian state and territory; introduce a civil penalty regime to be enforced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA); prohibit ‘click to call’ in-play betting services…

— http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r5755

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Today, the picture is somewhat more different. Increased equality between the sexes has rendered gender virtually irrelevant, at least as far as individual rights are concerned. Gambling operators that attempt to exclude women today are, in most Western countries, breaking the law, not to mention cutting off a large proportion of their potential customer base.

But do women gamble in the same way as men? Do they spend the same, and enjoy similar games? Or are women still a different kettle of fish when it comes to how they spend their gambling time?

The Stats

Gambling remains a majority male pursuit, with 57% of all gamblers being male. By contrast, the 43% tend to play in a slightly different way.

Studies have shown that for men, gambling is an exciting activity – they gamble for the risks, and for the rewards that can come from that bigger payoff.

By contrast, women tend to gamble for recreation and relaxation. They aren’t as aggressive in their gambling behaviour as men, as a rule, and tend to prefer games that don’t require much in the way of skill. Slots machines and bingo are disproportionately favoured by women over men.

But it’s not just what they play that sets the genders apart. Women tend to play over longer sessions, spending more of their time gambling than their male counterparts. However, they do so at lower stakes, whereas men tend to gamble in shorter bursts with higher stakes – probably as a result of necessity in man cases, rather than design.

Interestingly, men also play a lot more often than women, with the mean spanning over 115.2 gambling days per year, compared to just 71.5 days for women.

While there are clear differences in preferences and gambling style, it should also be noted that there is no difference when it comes to lotteries and scratch cards. Both men and women choose lottery-based games with the same frequency, and there’s no discernible difference in prevalence between the sexes when it comes to these forms of gambling.

Gender and Problem Gambling

It is thought that are 0.6% of the British population can be defined as problem gamblers, based on statistics covering both England and Scotland. However, when we look at the gender aspects of problem gambling, this disproportionately affects men over women.

A staggering 1.0% of men are classed as problem gamblers, compared to just 0.2% of women, with those aged 16-24 accounting for the bulk of the problems. In that age bracket, some 2.4% of people can be defined as problem gamblers, compared to just 0.4% in the 75 and over age bracket.

Different Gambling Choices

So it’s clear already that there are some substantial differences between how men and women gamble. But when we start to dig a bit deeper into the statistics, the picture becomes even more interesting.

Losses

Every year, men lose an average of £3,709.44 gambling – that’s a smidgen over £10 a day, or the cost of a second-hand runaround for their wife.

Meanwhile, women lose out at a more respectable £2659.92 – that’s nearly £250 a month, more than enough for a weekend at a spa with some change for a haircut.

Average Gambling Age

For men, the average age of a gambler is 33 – roughly about the age where many realise their paycheck is no longer their own.
For women, it comes in a 29 – the same as the average age for new mothers in the UK. I wonder if there’s any correlation there…

Average Deposits

For women, you’re looking at an average deposit of £67.00 – about the cost of a cut and colour at the local salon.

Most men wouldn’t dream of spending that kind of money on themselves, but for some reason seem more than happy to up the ante when it comes to gambling, with average deposits clocking in at £94.00 – more than enough for a night on the town with the lads, if they can prise themselves away.
Gambling is no longer anything like an exclusively male activity, and it’s likely that women will become even more represented in gambling stats over time, as more games specifically targeting women are developed, and more women experience the thrills and spills of gambling for themselves.
A closing thought – on average, sex lasts for 20 minutes. When you add up all the time both men and women spend gambling, they’re missing a whopping 129,600 chances to get lucky between the sheets.
Now there’s a reason to get your gambling time under control!

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From famous actors and musicians to sports people and even, perhaps, royalty, there are plenty of big names out there who enjoy a gamble.

Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen’s passion for gambling has been well-documented over the years. To be honest, there’s not much Charlie Sheen hasn’t done passionately, which is definitely to his credit – he’s certainly lived a life. Denise Richard has said he used to spend over $20k a week betting on sports, and you can bet he wasn’t winning every time. Of course, getting paid $1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men, he can probably afford to be a famous gambler.

Michael Phelps

Titan of the waves Michael Phelps has had a swimming career without parallel. But as of late, his reputation has painted him as perhaps more of a bad boy than his sponsors could have imagined. His gambling has made headline news in the past, including an 8-hour gambling session immediately before his infamous DUI incident.

He’s said to be worth some $45 million, but his serious penchant for poker has become a huge part of his life. Friends have even raised concerns about his gambling, and with a must-win attitude like Phelps’, it’s perhaps unsurprising he’s so dedicated to his poker.

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck is amongst a rare breed of celebrity gamblers – those that are actually successful. He is an avid fan of poker and blackjack, and seems to have a natural affinity for playing the odds. The 2004 California State Poker Champion, he’s even been banned from playing blackjack in Las Vegas – simply because he was so good at the game.

When asked about his ban from the casinos, Affleck said he finds it revealing. “I became decent, the casinos asked me not play blackjack. I mean the fact that being good at the game is against the rules that the casinos should tell you something about the casinos”. Indeed, Ben. Indeed.

Tiger Woods

Sportsmen in particular seem to take a strong liking to gambling. Perhaps that’s no surprise really, when you consider the competitive attitude that drives athletes to reach the very pinnacle of their sports. Tiger Woods, the once all-dominant golfer, has been known to enjoy cards, playing for as much as $25k per hand during his casino nights. Blackjack is his game of choice, and he’s been known to win as much as $1 million on a consistent, nightly schedule. Now that his golf’s taken a bit of dip, maybe a new career awaits.

50 Cent

Rapper and entrepreneur 50 Cent is full of surprises. In addition to his business adventures and even his recent dubious bankruptcy, 50 Cent has been known to be a heavy backer of sports betting. He dropped a $500,000 wager on a match between the New York Giants and San Francisco, and is known to be a sports fan and regular high roller sports gambler.

Matt Damon

Another Hollywood A-lister, Matt Damon’s gambling started with a little more focus than some others. He spent over $25,000 at casinos in the early part of his career, over the space of just a few months. His excuse? He was preparing for his role in Rounders, which remains one of the best gambling movies of all time.

It’s all stood him in good stead, and he’s rumoured still to be pretty interested in gambling. He doesn’t need the money of course, but no doubt enjoys the thrill of the action.

Pamela Anderson

The Baywatch beauty has form when it comes to poker – some have even suggested she ended up marrying Rick Salomon as a direct result of losing a poker bet to him, to the tune of $250,000. Who says you can’t put a price on love? Poker is her game, and even today, Pam is still known to enjoy a big money game.

George Clooney

George Clooney is famed for his role as Danny Ocean in Ocean’s Eleven, one of the best gambling heist movies of all time. However, he has real-life experience. Matt Damon tells an amusing anecdote about Clooney losing 25 blackjack hands in a row, along with a substantial amount of money in one sitting. Determined not to lose, he just kept going, throwing good money after bad, and defying the odds and probabilities by losing miserably hand after hand. Never mind, George – I’m sure there are still plenty more millions to play through.

Queen Elizabeth II

OK, so the Queen probably doesn’t gamble, although there have been a number of swirling rumours. The Queen Mother, while she was alive, was a great fan of horse racing, and even owned a number of horses in her own right. She was said to be a gin-swilling betting fan, in the style of many of her subjects. Unfortunately those close to the Royal Family insist there is no truth in any suggestion that the Royals gamble, and as one of the richest families in the world, perhaps there’s some truth to that. Still, who doesn’t like to think of the Queen herself desperately cheering on her runner over the final furlong at 8/1?

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The jury’s officially still out when it comes to whether these work or not. But for many of those who try, there’s no persuading them otherwise, and their lucky charms are an essential part of their gaming. So what are the weirdest common lucky charms and mascots you’ll find in the pockets and round the necks of aspiring gamblers?

Rabbit’s Foot

One of the most well known, the rabbit’s foot has been long associated with good fortune. And not just in a gambling context. Rabbit’s feet represent fertility, notably high in rabbits, of course. But only when it’s from their hind legs – you don’t want any front feet if you want to get lucky. Apparently, carrying a rabbit’s foot will help you conceive a child – the gods are blessing you with the fertility of the rabbit.

The only thing that might put me off giving this a try is actually carrying a rabbit’s foot – it’s not exactly subtle. Imagine fumbling for your keys inside your pocket when you’re carrying a rabbit’s foot – it just feels a bit, weird. Nevertheless, some gamblers swear by it, and wouldn’t dream of heading out to the casino without their lucky rabbit’s feet.

Badger’s Tooth

Taming a rabbit is one thing – taming a badger is quite another. Badger’s teeth have long been associated with good luck, and is another common find in the top pockets of serious gamblers at casinos worldwide. Perhaps it’s lucky because you need some good fortune to survive harvesting a badger’s teeth in the first place, and that’s before we get to the rabies…whatever the reason, it’s at least a little easier to slip a tooth into your pocket.

If you’re up for trying a badger’s tooth for luck, make sure you store it in a left side pocket. Apparently, it only brings good luck on the left side, so make sure you abide by these laws of superstition so you’re not just carrying around a manky potentially-rabid tooth for no reason.

Alligator’s Tooth

The dental theme continues with alligator’s teeth – I’m not sure why teeth are so lucky, particularly when they come from dead animals, but who am I to query good fortune. OK, so it wasn’t particularly lucky for dear old Steve Irwin, the Croc Hunter, but according to African legend, it’s exactly what you need for good luck when you’re gambling.

Again, it’s not for the faint of heart. And you need to live or at least visit somewhere alligators roam if you’re thinking about harvesting it yourself – good luck with that. But I suppose it’s pretty practical, plus your opponents need never know you’ve good that lucky charm on your side.

Horseshoes

Lucky horseshoes are perhaps a more traditional good luck symbol, with universal application in gambling and beyond. In the UK, a horseshoe is a common blessing for a new home or marriage, in addition to its obvious symbolic meaning for gamblers. Carrying a horseshoe on your person is supposed to be particularly lucky, but only when it’s upside down – it’s the U shape you’re looking for.

Of course, if you’re storing a horseshoe in your pocket, you’re probably going to need to invest in a good belt. They are usually solid metal, so not the most discrete of good luck charms. In practice, people usually use horseshoe symbols, or smaller replicas rather than the real thing…but if you want to go the whole hog (or should that be, the whole horse), you’re going to have to suck it up.

Lucky Red Clothing

Lucky clothing is probably a bit more practical than any particular good luck chattel, and you can take advantage of these good luck benefits much more easily. Red is the colour when it comes to good luck, with long symbolic ties to fortune, wealth, fertility, love and a whole host of other positive things. It’s pretty universal too, applicable in both Western cultures and Chinese culture. So dust off those lucky red pants and make sure they’re always ready to go whenever you fancy a flutter.

Everyone has their own superstitions in gambling, and their own preferred lucky charms – some more ‘out there’ than others. I can’t tell you whether they work or not – and the only way you’re going to find out is by trying it for yourself.

Famous Players Charms

Daniel Negreanu, a well-known poker player, only eats meals his mother cooks for him during big tournaments because he believes it brings him luck.

Dan Harrington, 1995 World Series of Poker (WSOP) winner and a member of Poker Hall of Fame, has his lucky green Boston Red Sox hat on whilst he’s waiting for the flop.

Kun Dollison, a three-time WSOP bracelet champion brings a giant mechanical mouse with blinking eyes.  Sometimes this toy walks around the table.

Doyle Brunson, a member of the WSOP’s Poker Hall of Fame, thinks women are bad luck. This famed pro player has a card protector with Casper, a Ghostbusters logo, on it.

Sami Farha, 2003 WSOP second prize winner holds an unlit cigarette in his mouth while gambling.  If he loses, he changes the cigarette.  The weirdest thing is that he doesn’t smoke.

Peter Muller, a pro poker player, took his dog with him to the poker tournaments.  He believes the dog helped him to be the 4th in the 1998 WSOP.

Simon Trumper is a UK poker player and the winner of Late Night Poker series 2. He caps his cards a pair with gold and diamond aces.  This player earned over $1 million while playing poker.

John Giannos, director of player development of the Golden Nugget, takes with him a red envelope he was given 20 years ago.

Johnny Chan, called “The Orient Express”, won 10 WSOP bracelets. He can often be seen next to an orange thing such as an orange or wearing an orange T-shirt.

Humberto Brenes, World Poker Open champion, often takes a toy shark with him to the poker table. He believes this good luck charm brings him luck.  Thanks to this amulet he received a nickname “The Shark.”

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Microgaming Jackpots in 2016

Microgaming is my personal favourite when it comes to casino games developers. It’s a bit like supporting Manchester United (in the Sir Alex Ferguson era, at least), but I can’t help how I feel…they just do it so well. For me, the games are just a cut above in terms of their design, graphics and payouts, and by the look of some of the jackpots paid out in 2016, it remains at the top of the pile.

Mega Moolah, their mega cash jackpot slot, has continued to be their highest payer, with some 6 progressive jackpots dropping throughout the year. The biggest was hit in 5th November 2016, topping a staggering £11,633,233. And for those who think that was a one off, another £5,634,028 dropped just 11 days later.

Second prize goes to the lucky winner who landed an £11,609,115 on the 28th August, with honourable mentions for June’s £10,143,941 win, and another £10,422,504 in April. At this rate, it’s probably no surprise that Mega Moolah remains one of the favourite titles for the jackpot chasers.

Major Millions and King Cashalot also saw decent sized payouts in 2016, with £1,186,072 in October following on from a win of £908,970 in August. It’s been another good year for Microgaming, and 2017 is sure to hold more of these huge jackpots in store.

What about NetEnt?

NetEnt also makes some pretty good online slot machines, like Mega Fortune and Hall of Gods. It’s not quite on the level with Microgaming, who are pretty much as good as founding partners in this industry, but it’s not far behind. Just ask anyone who won a NetEnt jackpot in 2016 – I’m sure they’re not complaining.

Mega Fortune was, as ever, the big payer with NetEnt last year. The biggest win came just 10 days before Christmas, when one lucky player hit €7,436,518 on a single spin…nice! Jackpots throughout the year ranged from €2,697,266 back in January, through to a sprinkling of millions including €3,777,620 in March, €3,537,698 in May and €4,863,588 in September.

Hall of Gods paid out a single €7,437,302 in October, after a €1,682,413 win in January. It’s never been too big a payer for me, and with just two jackpots in the millions registered in 2016, these were very lucky players indeed. Arabian Nights did well too, with two separate multi-million jackpots over the year – €2,200,502 in February, and €1,021,243 in June.

Playtech 2016 Jackpot Wins

Playtech pays out on their Jackpot Giant jackpot regularly, which currently stands at €4,437,423. The last time someone hit the prize, they walked away with €5,889,992, back in January 2016. Could that mean it’s getting ready to drop again?

Beach Life is usually a strong performer for Playtech, and this continued in 2016, with a single jackpot payout hitting €2,504,651 in July. Sweet Party is another you should probably check out – on average, it paid €1,068,942 in 13 days over 2016, and it’s expected to continue to be a strong performer (not to mention an entertaining slots game) in 2017.

With 2016 now fading into memory, it surely was a strong year for progressive jackpot wins. But the good thing about progressive slots jackpots is that they never end – as soon as it pays out, it’s back to building up the prize fund for the next time. Who knows what 2017 could have in store – remember, it only takes a spin to win.

If you adore the content, feel free to check the biggest jackpots in Las Vegas.

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Gambling Addiction Test

1. Have you ever missed your work or school because of gambling?
2. Have games affected your reputation?
3. Has gambling ever influenced on your work or studies?
4. Have you ever felt miserable after a gambling session?
5. Have gambling ever made you feel remorse?
6. Have you ever played casino games to pay your debts out or solve any financial problems?
7. Have you ever look forward to returning to the casino table after losing to win back?
8. Have you ever wanted to return to the game and win more?
9. Have you ever played until your bankroll has exhausted?
10. Have you ever set a gambling bankroll?
11. Have you ever played on borrowed money?
12. Have you ever sold anything to play casino games?
13. Have gambling did any financial harm to your family budget?
14. Have you ever played longer than planned before?
15. Have you ever played to forget about troubles or when felt bored or lonely?
16. Have you ever had insomnia because of gambling?
17. Have you ever brought the law to get money for gambling?
18. Do your problems and disappointments come with longing to gamble?
19. Do you celebrate every time you win?
20. Have you ever thought of suicide after losing?

Results

If you have at least 7 “Yes” ticks you have some gambling problems. The more “Yes” you have, the more problems with gambling you have.

Recommendations Concerning Gambling

• If you come to a casino to have a good time, don’t worry about winning and losing.
• It’s impossible to be poor and become rich in a New York minute. When it comes to easy money, don’t forget that holding something in your hands doesn’t mean to have it. Anyone must be ready for big money. If you aren’t ready, nothing will help you to win, and to keep that money afterwards in case you’ve managed to win.
• Avoid emotional memories about losing or winning money. Don’t remember past games again and again. Leave those memories in the past.
• Don’t play big, try to make reasonable bets not to go broke.

Where To Go For Help

Gambler’s Anonymous offers help for addicts in the US and worldwide by providing a safe place to talk about an addiction if things go south, a chance to be a part of something bigger without being judged, and help from fellow gambling addicts. As part of its program there is the questionnaire we listed above, as well as programs of integration into a society and recovery programs much like the famous Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step Program.

There are no fees required to join, and the organization is completely independent of any outside influence by political, religious, or racially-driven movements. The goal is to enable as many people as possible to put an end to compulsive gambling for good. Gamblers Anonymous (or GA, as its members like to call it), exists in countries across the globe. We don’t provide the full list here because that would mean going through the whole alphabet, but if needs be it can be found here. Also NGPC offers a variety of services with the same aim.

With more than half a million problems gamblers in the UK, National Problem Gambling Clinic, GamCare, GamAnon, and various private cognitive behavior therapists offer a variety of ways of helping to cope with addiction on the NHS Choices website.

Problem Gambling Canada offers listings of all organizations for people who need help with addiction in Canada.

SARFG offers help for addicts in South Africa.

People with gambling problems are a growing concern in Europe (it would be more politically correct to say that the concern is with the problems, not the people, but you know what we mean). With huge spending and alarming growth rate, this part of the industry is subject to careful inspection by the authorities. Problem Gaming Guide offers a complete resource with plenty of information on all possible ways and directions out of the grasp of this vicious malady.

Using resources online, though it is not as effective as working as part of a group or, better yet, with a psychologist, can have its benefits. Self-study, in any case, is the foundation stone of recovery of any sort, so we recommend you take a look at the following if you feel you are beginning to develop the symptoms:

• Learn the essentials of online gambling and come prepared
• Learn how to control your bankroll
• Learn you’re not the only one

Societies for people with addiction problems are widespread in most countries, but they all work on the notion of “some guided help, but mostly self-help”. Participating in programs that help restore lives before addiction require willingness to diagnose an addiction, desire to take meaningful action to improve the situation, and the willingness to follow through. Admitting that there is a problem is the most important step, and having other people there who can create a sense of social support helps, but ultimately overcoming an addiction is a matter of self-discipline as well as attending meetings. Being a part of a well-organized resource means being halfway there, but it also means finding ways to cope on your own.

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1. 1. People have been gambling since early times. The first recorded taxation and regulation of gambling was made up in the 4th century BC.
   2. Keno was invented in China somewhere in the 2^nd century BC.
   3. Gambling and lotteries have often been used to realize lots of public projects. For example, The Great Wall of China was constructed to a big proportion from money derived from Keno.

1. Roulette is the oldest casino game. It’s also called the Devil’s game, since the sum of all the numbers in the wheel is 666, the Number of the Beast.
2. In the past the Catholic and Judaic priests supported gambling.
3. The sandwich got his name after John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich. He invented the sandwich because didn’t want to quite the game to eat.
4. The card suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) came from the French Ancién Régime. Cups stand for the clergy, coins mean merchants, clubs are for peasants, and swords are the nobility.
5. Italians and French still have arguments about who invented blackjack.
6. Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States, funded his congressional election campaign with money he won while playing cards in the South Pacific during World War II.
7. Despite the fact that the Monte Carlo Casino is a major source of income for Monaco, this country’s citizens are not allowed to visit the casino.
8. Las Vegas is well-known all around as world’s gambling centre. However, today the world’s biggest gambling city is Macau, which earned in $45.3 billion in 2013. It takes one day for Macau players to wager the same amount that is wagered in a week in Las Vegas.
9. The main airport in Las Vegas, McCarran International airport, is the 8^th busiest airport in the world.  There are 850 flights a day and over 2.5 million people a month, most of whom are gamblers.
10. The first online casino was launched by Microgaming in 1996 in Antigua, and had 18 casino games.
11. 68% of players in Las Vegas play slots games.
12. The famous MIT team consists of students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They played blackjack from 1979 until the beginning of the 21^st century. They made millions with some legal techniques such as card counting.
13. President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe won 100,000 Zimbabwean dollars (that is US$2,600 at the time) in a lottery in 2000. He is the only modern Head of State who won the lottery.
14. The largest slot jackpot win was in Vegas in 2003. A 25-year-old engineer hit a $39,710,826.36 jackpot on the Megabucks machine, beating odds of about 17 million to one.
15. You can’t see clock and windows in brick and mortar casinos.
16. In 2011, Blackjack player Don Johnson won over $15 million in Atlantic City casinos for half a year.
17. The potential for Royal Flush (poker) is 1 in 649,740.
18. 2,598,960 unique five-card hands can be made from a standard 52-card deck, with a single pair having a 42.3% likelihood of being in any hand.

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Gambling is thrill, fun, entertainment, adrenaline rush, disappointment, despair and many other things. All these make gambling so attractive. But you should be realistic, follow some tips and never play if you are venturous and prone to problem gambling.

I’m not going to bore you with some “useful” advice or tips. Instead I’ve selected some quotes about gambling. Let’s see what the greatest minds thought about the casino game.

Great Thoughts about Gambling and Casino

If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.

Chinese Proverb

Quit while you’re ahead. All the best gamblers do. Baltasar Gracián y Morales.

(Spanish Jesuit, philosopher of the 17^th century)

True luck consists not in holding the best of the cards at the table; luckiest is he who knows just when to rise and go home.

John Milton Hay (American statesman, and journalist of the 19^th century)

You don’t gamble to win. You gamble so you can gamble the next day.

Bert Ambrose (1896-1971; English violinist)

Luck never gives; it only lends.

Swedish Proverb

The roulette table pays nobody except him that keeps it. Nevertheless a passion for gaming is common, though a passion for keeping roulette tables is unknown. In gambling the many must lose in order that the few may win.

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950; Irish playwright)

By gaming we lose both our time and treasure: two things most precious to the life of man.

Owen Feltham (1602-1668; English writer)

There is a very easy way to return from a casino with a small fortune: go there with a large one.

Jack Yelton

The safest way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.

Kin Hubbard (1868-1930; American cartoonist, and journalist)

Remember this: The house doesn’t beat the player. It just gives him the opportunity to beat himself.

Nicholas Dandolos, called “Nick the Greek” (1883-1966; pro gambler and high roller)

The urge to gamble is so universal and its practice so pleasurable, that I assume it must be evil.

Heywood Broun (1888-1939; American sportswriter, and editor)

Gambling is a way of buying hope on credit.

Alan Wykes (1914-1993; English author of The Complete Illustrated Guide to Gambling)

A dollar won is twice as sweet as a dollar earned…

Paul Newman (1925-2008; American actor, and entrepreneur), quote from the movie, “The Color of Money”

A gambler never makes the same mistake twice. It’s usually three or more times.

Terrence Murphy, (aka “VP Pappy” American freelance writer)

Last year people won more than one billion dollars playing poker. And casinos made twenty-seven billion just by being around those people.

Samantha Bee (Canadian comedic actress)

The best throw of the dice is to throw them away.

English Proverb

Gambling is the son of avarice and the father of despair.

French Proverb

In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose, and in the end, we get it all…

Robert De Niro (American actor, director, and producer), quote from the movie, “Casino”.

What to Do?

Anyway, it’s up to you to gamble or not. But, you’d better go to the casino to have fun and not to make a killing. Thinking about money all the time while playing won’t make you happy. You may read more casino tips and game strategies on our site.

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